Random Thoughts

Buy Harry Turtledove books from Amazon:

http://astore.amazon.com/randomthou0ef-20

President Obama:

GOVERNMENT WARRANTY

It is my hope that the steps I am announcing today will go a long way towards answering many of the questions people may have about the future of GM and Chrysler. But just in case there are still nagging doubts, let me say it as plainly as I can -- if you buy a car from Chrysler or General Motors, you will be able to get your car serviced and repaired, just like always. Your warrantee will be safe.

In fact, it will be safer than it's ever been. Because starting today, the United States government will stand behind your warrantee.

The founding fathers are rolling so fast in their graves that we should harness it as a green energy source

I intentionally stopped posting for a while - to avoid being 'googled' by prospective employers when I was job-hunting. However that time has passed - so should I start posting again? I'll be very busy with things so it wouldn't be often, so I don't know if it's worth it.

Well, if you know me and are reading this, let me know what you think.

I haven't posted in over a month! I've been too busy with work and other things, plus not many people actually come here to read my posts so there is little motivation to write more.

Unfortunately, the news of this morning is the biggest story to occur in quite a while. Fortunately, it appears the plots of the UK based terrorists was thwarted and many are already in custody. So at least for the time being, UK and US intelligence have stopped another attack.

When will it stop? My guess would be that it won't until the terrorists are sucessful and we are wiped out (not my prefered choice!) or until they are eliminated. However, neither seem likely to happen in the near future (if ever). Maybe if everyone in the middle east converted to Christianity this could end sooner, then again many Americans wouldn't like that because they would come over here and try to convert them!

So in the mean time it means tighter security restrictions:

NO LIQUIDS OR GELS OF ANY KIND WILL BE PERMITTED IN CARRY-ON BAGGAGE. ITEMS MUST BE IN CHECKED BAGGAGE. This includes all beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, tooth paste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency.

Remember it's not just the 4th of July, it's the day the United States of America was founded.

This sounds good to me!

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, Associated Press Writer Tue Jun 20, 5:10 AM ET

HAZLETON, Pa. - With tensions rising and its police department and municipal budget stretched thin, this small northeastern Pennsylvania city is about to begin what the mayor calls one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants in the United States.

"Illegal immigrants are destroying the city," said Mayor Lou Barletta, a Republican. "I don't want them here, period."

Last week Barletta introduced, and the City Council tentatively approved, a measure that would revoke the business licenses of companies that employ illegal immigrants; impose $1,000 fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants; and make English the city's official language.

As Congress debates changes to the nation's immigration policy, some cities are taking matters into their own hands, saying they have no choice but to crack down on illegal immigrants themselves.

Barletta said he had to act after two illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic were charged last month with shooting and killing a man. Other recent incidents involving illegal immigrants have rattled this former coal town 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia, including the arrest of a 14-year-old boy for firing a gun at a playground.

"This is crazy," said Barletta, who took office in 2000. "People are afraid to walk the streets. There's going to be law and order back in Hazleton and I'm going to use every tool I possibly can."

[more]

I just discovered that it has been nearly two months since I posted here! I'm better at keeping Maya's site up to date (although I still get behind on that). It's a rainy morning and we haven't gotten much rain recently--just lots of heat. Maya is sleeping now and she's been crabbier than normal the last few days too.

Anita worked last night and will work again tonight, so it's just me and Maya most of the weekend. I have to run into work a few hours this afternoon, so Anita will have to get up a few hours early from her nap.

Not much exciting has happened over the last few months, but next weekend we are heading to Iowa for my Brother-in-law's wedding. Which should be nice, but traveling with Maya can be a bit of pain. We'll fly into Omaha, NE then drive to Orange City, IA (about 2.5 hours), so I hope Maya is sleepy from the flight!

She is so witty and in your face, which is probably why so many liberals are infuriated by her. After reading her most recent column and I thought I'd post a portion of it here, since it touches on some previous issues addressed on this blog. You can read the whole thing here.

In no area except morality would a sane person believe he can't criticize something stupid because he's done it. How about: If you've ever forgotten to fill up your car and run out of gas, you must forevermore defend a person's right to ignore the gas gauge. Or if you've ever forgotten to wear a coat in cold weather and caught a cold, henceforth you are obliged to encourage others not to dress appropriately in the winter.

This deep-seated societal fear of being accused of "hypocrisy" applies only to behavior touching on morals.

But we're all rotten sinners, incapable of redemption on our own. The liberal answer to sin is to say: I can never pay this back, so my argument will be I didn't do anything wrong.

The religion of peace's answer is: I've just beheaded an innocent man -- I'm off to meet Allah!

I don't know what the Jewish answer is, but I'm sure it's something other than, "therefore, what I did is no longer bad behavior" -- or the Talmud could be a lot shorter.

The Christian answer is: I can never pay this back, but luckily that Christ fellow has already paid my debt.

What don't people understand about the term ILLEGAL immigrant?

I know many of them came to have a better life for themselves and their families, but they broke the law to do so. Many businesses illegally hired them, should they get away with it? What about business that refused to hire illegals and couldn't compete?

When laws go unenforced they are ignored and people begin to break more laws.

I fully support immigration and even a guest worker program, but only for those who go about things leagally. Should people who broke the law be given amnesty? What is the point of border security if we just keep letting people in?

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Tens of thousands of students walked out of school in California and other states Monday, waving flags and chanting slogans in a second week of protests against legislation to crack down on illegal immigrants.

In Washington, 100 demonstrators wore handcuffs at the Capitol to protest a bill that would make it a felony to be in this country illegally and would make it crime to dispense aid to the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants.

Immigrant supporters also object to legislation that would also impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and would build fences along part of the U.S.-Mexican border. (Full story)